Obama video message booed at … Fenway Park? Update: Fan responds

posted at 12:31 pm on April 21, 2012 by Allahpundit

Well, it stands to reason. Massachusetts is a deep red state. Wait, what?

I held off blogging this yesterday in hopes that video would emerge but after almost 24 hours I’ve given up hope. It started when Romney advisor Eric Fehrnstrom tweeted:

At Red Sox game, President Obama comes on big screen to recognize Fenway’s 100th anniversary, followed by loud chorus of boos.

Partisan bias at work, right? Nope: A couple of sportswriters noticed the same thing when The One appeared onscreen. The video message was part of the elaborate pre-game ceremony celebrating the 100th anniversary of Fenway’s opening, replete with appearances from Sox legends like Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky, Carl Yastrzemski, Pedro Martinez, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk, and on and on. The Yankees were in town too and both teams were in 1912 “throwback” uniforms. Point being, if ever there was a game where you’d expect lots of cell-phone video to be taken and posted on YouTube, this was it. And yet, when it comes to the stadium’s reaction to a presidential cameo, nada so far. Huh.

There is one video circulating online that purports to show O being booed by the crowd but it’s obviously not of yesterday’s game. Watch it here. Among the many problems with it: (a) the Sox were wearing white and the Yankees gray but the players in the vid are wearing red and blue; (b) it looks like a night game when yesterday’s game was played at 3 p.m. in bright sunshine; (c) I can’t hear any audio of Obama over the stadium speakers and it’s hard to believe the booing was so loud that he was completely drowned out; (d) Obama’s video would have been broadcast during the pre-game or between innings, but in the vid the booing’s happening while the game is being played. Anyone out there have real video from yesterday?

Exit question: Second look at turning Massachusetts red? Or were they booing him because, let’s face it, baseball fans have long memories when it comes to horrible play? They can forgive Buckner but no one can forgive this.

Update: Just received from reader John T.:

I was at the Red Sox game yesterday and can confirm the reported booing occurred, mixed with cheers at about a 50/50 ratio I’d say.

I think the reason there’s no video is because of the timing. The opening ceremony, which lasted about an hour, had officially ended and the game had begun. Most people, myself included, had stowed their phones and settled in for the game.

Obama’s message was brief, perhaps 10 seconds long, and began to play, I believe, after the first inning or half inning. It took me (and likely most others) by surprise, so there was little opportunity to catch the moment on video. As it turned out, there were other prerecorded messages played all game long between innings. Obama’s was just the first, and the only one booed. Most, if not all, of the other messages played were from people with Boston roots (e.g., Conan O’Brien, Dennis Leary, Mark Wahlberg), and they all received favorable reactions from the crowd.